Conversational Agents in Health Education: A Scoping Review Protocol (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed Zayan Nizam ◽  
Leigh Powell ◽  
Nabil Zary

BACKGROUND Conversational agents can reach people where they are at, existing online, on mobile phones, or even through hardware like Alexa and Siri, making information easier to access and providing an engaging method of interaction. It makes sense that chatbots would also start to emerge to improve public health through health education. While building a chatbot is getting easier, there is still required time and effort. There is also a lack of clarity and consistent terminology about what kinds of chatbots are out there, how they are developed, and the kind of resources needed to develop and sustain them. This lack of clarity makes a daunting task for those seeking to build health education initiatives. Our scoping review seeks to categorize conversational agents in healthcare education in alignment with current classifications and terminology emerging from the marketplace. We will define the terminology of levels of conversational agents, categorize current agents along with these levels and describe the uses, resources, and evaluations common to these levels. OBJECTIVE This scoping review aims to identify literature that reports on the design and implementation of conversational agents to promote and educate the public on matters related to health. METHODS This scoping review will be conducted by employing the Arksey and O’Malley framework. We will also be adhering to the enhancements and updates proposed by Levac et al. and Peters et al. The PRISMA extension for scoping reviews will guide the reporting of this scoping review. A systematic search for published and grey literature will be undertaken from the following databases (1) PubMed, (2) PsychINFO, (2) Embase, (4) Web of Science, (5) SCOPUS, (6) CINAHL, (7) ERIC, (8) MEDLINE, (9) Google Scholar. Data charting will be done using a structured format. RESULTS Initial searches of the databases retrieved 1,480 results. The results will be presented in the final scoping review in both a narrative and illustrative manner. CONCLUSIONS Reviewers have previously explored conversational agents in health. However, to the authors' knowledge, there has been no review conducted in the specific area of our interest –Health Education. Therefore, this review will provide a map of the literature in this area and clarify and define the heterogeneous terms found in the literature. This information will help healthcare professionals and administrators to understand what kinds of chatbots would be appropriate in their setting. And through our charted data could also help them understand what kind of resources or expertise is required for the different chatbots in use.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anmol Shahid ◽  
Brianna K Rosgen ◽  
Karla K Krewulak ◽  
Diane L Lorenzetti ◽  
Nadine Foster ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Citizen engagement in research is an emerging practice that involves members of the general public in research processes such as priority-setting, planning, decision-making, research conduct, implementation, evaluation, and dissemination. Engaging citizens in research, particularly health research, increases the relevance of study findings, minimizes waste by facilitating stewardship over resources, and builds public trust in the research. While several existing frameworks guide the application of citizen engagement principles to health research, it is unclear how citizen engagement can be utilized to maximize benefits and minimize risks and challenges in health research. To address the gaps in knowledge around citizen engagement in health research, we propose a scoping review to synthesize the state of knowledge on methods to incorporate and evaluate citizen engagement in research. A protocol is presented in this manuscript. Methods: The methodology for our scoping review is guided by Arksey and O’ Malley’s framework for scoping reviews, and additional recommendations by Levac and colleagues. We will include peer-reviewed and grey literature that report on citizen engagement in health research (including biomedical, clinical, health systems and services, and social, cultural, environmental and population health) and report method(s) to conduct, measure, or evaluate citizen engagement. We will systematically search electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, JSTOR, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Science Direct) and relevant organizations’ websites for additional studies, frameworks, and reports on citizen engagement. Title and abstract and full-text citations will be screened independently and in duplicate. Data will be extracted independently and in duplicate, including: document characteristics, citizen engagement definitions and goals, and outcomes of citizen engagement (e.g., impact, barriers, facilitators). Discussion: This review will synthesize the definitions, goals, methods, outcomes, and significance of citizen engagement in health research, as well as any potential barriers, facilitators, and challenges outlined in existing literature. The findings will provide an evidence-based foundation for developing new or improved guidance for citizen engagement in health research. Overall, we anticipate that our scoping review will be a preliminary step to meaningful engagement of citizens in research and strengthen the relationship between the scientific community and the public through transparency and collaboration.SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: Not applicable.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 31
Author(s):  
Carlos Bruen ◽  
Niamh A. Merriman ◽  
Paul J. Murphy ◽  
Joan McCormack ◽  
Eithne Sexton ◽  
...  

Introduction Recent advances in stroke management and care have resulted in improved survival and outcomes. However, providing equitable access to acute care, rehabilitation and longer-term stroke care is challenging. Recent Irish evidence indicates variation in stroke outcomes across hospitals, and a need for continuous audit of stroke care to support quality improvement. The aim of this project is to develop a core minimum dataset for use in the new Irish National Audit of Stroke (INAS), which aims to improve the standard of stroke care in Ireland. This paper outlines the protocol for conducting a scoping review of international practice and guidelines in auditing acute and non-acute stroke care. Objective Identify data items that are currently collected by stroke audits internationally, and identify audit guidelines that exist for recommending inclusion of content in stroke audit datasets. Methods and analysis This scoping review will be conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). We will search the following databases: Medline Ovid; Embase; CINAHL EBSCOHost. Grey literature will also be searched for relevant materials, as will relevant websites. Study selection and review will be carried out independently by two researchers, with discrepancies resolved by a third. Data charting and synthesis will involve sub-dividing relevant sources of evidence, and synthesising data into three categories: i) acute stroke care; ii) non-acute stroke care; and iii) audit data collection procedures and resourcing. Data will be charted using a standardised form specific to each category. Consultation with knowledge users will be conducted at all stages of the scoping review. Discussion This scoping review will contribute to a larger project aimed at developing an internationally benchmarked stroke audit tool that will be used prospectively to collect data on all stroke admissions in Ireland, encompassing both acute and non-acute data items.


BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. e028949
Author(s):  
Mellena Giday ◽  
Meghaan Hawes ◽  
Ann Madhavan ◽  
Maralyssa Bann

IntroductionThere is evidence that patients are admitted to the hospital with low-acuity medical issues, though delineation of the underlying factors has not been comprehensively explored. This scoping review will provide an overview of the existing literature regarding factors outside of acute medical illness that influence hospitalisation of adults. The review will also seek to provide a review of common language and definitions used in the research on this phenomenon.Methods and analysisThe scoping review framework, outlined by Arksey and O’Malley and expanded on by Levacet al, will be used as the basis for this study. A systematic search of seven databases (PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, EMBASE, Web of Science, Sociological Abstracts and Social Science Abstracts) will be conducted to identify existing literature followed by a standardised two-phase, two-reviewer process to select relevant papers for inclusion. Relevant studies will investigate adult non-psychiatric hospital admission plus at least one additional factor unrelated to medical acuity. Details of the work will be extracted, including the terminology used and perspectives included. An assessment of methodological quality will be performed using a tool designed for mixed-methods systematic review.Ethics and disseminationThe scoping review protocol delineates a transparent and rigorous review process, the results of which will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publication and presentation at relevant local or national meetings. The study does not require ethics approval as the data will be accumulated through the review of published, peer-reviewed literature and grey literature.


BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. e030675 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jannike Kaasbøll ◽  
Veronika Paulsen

IntroductionIn previous studies, it is estimated that sexual minorities (eg, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) individuals) are overrepresented in the child welfare system. However, the numbers are unclear, and there are limited studies in this field. No systematic review of LGBTQ issues across a broader context (ie, youth, foster parents and service providers) of child welfare services exists. The overall objective of this scoping review is to systematically scope the existing research on LGBTQ issues in the context of child welfare services, including policy, practice, service providers and users’ perspectives.Methods and analysisThe scoping review framework outlined by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) based on previous work by Arksey and O’Malley and Levac and colleagues will guide this review. In addition, the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR): Checklist and Explanation will be used throughout the process. We will search electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Web of Science and Idunn) and grey literature sources to identify studies that are appropriate for inclusion in this review. Using inclusion and exclusion criteria based on the ‘Population–Concept–Context’ framework, two researchers will independently screen titles, abstracts and full-text articles considered for inclusion. Any qualitative, quantitative and mixed-method study of LGBTQ issues in the child welfare context will be described and synthesised using a thematic synthesis approach.Ethics and disseminationA scoping review is a secondary analysis of published literature and does not require ethics approval. This scoping review is meant to provide an overview of the existing literature, aiming to expand policy-makers’ and practitioners’ knowledge of LGBTQ issues in a child welfare context and identify research gaps that can be used as a basis for further research. The results will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication, a conference presentation and a presentation to the key stakeholders.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather Finnegan ◽  
Gayle Halas ◽  
Caroline Monnin ◽  
Allie Peckham ◽  
Malcolm Doupe

Abstract Background: Governance policies provide structures and processes through which healthcare systems are managed. Existing literature defines strategies to evaluate operational (e.g. program) and clinical (e.g., patient-provider) healthcare interventions; the equivalent strategies to evaluate governance policies are less well developed. The aim of the proposed scoping review is to examine the extent, nature and range of approaches used to evaluate healthcare governance policies.Methods: Informed by the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines and the Arksey and O’Malley framework, the proposed study will conduct a keyword search of both health and social sciences databases, including Ageline (EBSCOhost 1978-2020), CINAHL with Full Text (EBSCOhost 1981-2020), EconLIT (EBSCOhost 1886-2020), Medline (Ovid 1946-2020), Global Health (Ovid 1973-2020) and Scopus (1970-2020). The grey literature – Public Documents (desLibris), Theses & Dissertations (ProQuest) and Google Advanced – will also be searched to ensure comprehensive identification of studies. Any evaluation of healthcare governance policies published in English will be included. Findings will be presented using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses: Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRIMSA-ScR). Our cross-disciplinary team will critically assess the identified literature. Discussion: Findings from the proposed scoping review will provide insight into the ways in which healthcare governance policies have been evaluated and offer future research directions. Based on initial literature scans and consultations with policy workers, we expect to demonstrate the need for more robust (i.e., deliberate, methodical) approaches to evaluate healthcare governance policies, which in turn requires meaningful partnerships to enrich the transactional space between research and policy.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Andrea Bowra ◽  
Lisa Howard ◽  
Angela Mashford-Pringle ◽  
Erica Di Ruggiero

Background: Indigenous Cultural Safety (ICS) training is a growing field of study; however, little consensus exists about how ICS is conceptualized and operationalized. This lack of consistency can lead to misinterpretation and misappropriation of Indigenous knowledges and histories that can further perpetuate colonial harms. Objective: The objective of this scoping review is to explore and characterize the academic literature related to the conceptualization and operationalization of ICS training within the fields of health, social services, and education. Methods: This scoping review protocol employs the Joanna Briggs Institute’s three-step search strategy to identify articles in the following databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, ERIC, and ASSIA. This protocol follows the PRISMA guidelines for Scoping Reviews (Joanna Briggs Institute, 2015; Tricco et al., 2018). Discussion: This review will add new knowledge by offering insights into the historic and contemporary approaches to defining and operationalizing ICS training in the health, education and social services fields. The results produced will be of interest to scholars and health, social services, and education providers looking to apply the most current and appropriate concepts and practices of ICS.


BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. e026278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katie Kerr ◽  
Helen McAneney ◽  
Amy Jayne McKnight

IntroductionThe development of next generation sequencing technology has enabled cost-efficient, large scale, multiple ‘omic’ analysis, including epigenomic, genomic, metabolomic, phenomic, proteomic and transcriptomic research. These integrated approaches hold significant promise for rare disease research, with the potential to aid biomarker discovery, improve our understanding of disease pathogenesis and identify novel therapeutic targets. In this paper we outline a systematic approach for a scoping review designed to evaluate what primary research has been performed to date on multi-omics and rare disease.Methods and analysisThis protocol was designed using the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews. Databases to be searched will include: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar for primary studies relevant to the key terms ‘multi-omics’ and ‘rare disease’, published prior to 30thDecember 2018. Grey literature databases GreyLit and OpenGrey will also be searched, as well as reverse citation screening of relevant articles and forward citation searching using Web of Science Cited Reference Search Tool. Data extraction will be performed using customised forms and a narrative synthesis of the results will be presented.Ethics and disseminationAs a secondary analysis study with no primary data generated, this scoping review does not require ethical approval. We anticipate this review will highlight a gap in rare disease research and provide direction for novel research. The completed review will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals and presented at relevant conferences discussing rare disease research and/or molecular strategies.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. e046227
Author(s):  
Cícera Renata Diniz Vieira Silva ◽  
Rayssa Horácio Lopes ◽  
Osvaldo de Goes Bay Júnior ◽  
Miguel Fuentealba-Torres ◽  
Ricardo Alexandre Arcêncio ◽  
...  

IntroductionTelemedicine gained strength in primary healthcare (PHC) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, there is a need to know its scope, technologies used and impacts on people’s health. This study will map telemedicine use in PHC around the world and its impacts on quality of care in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsThis is a scoping review protocol developed according to Arksey and O'Malley and Levac et al, based on the Joanna Briggs Institute manual, and guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). The records will be mapped in the following multidisciplinary health sciences databases: Virtual Health Library, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL and Embase. Searches will also be conducted on Google Scholar, preprint repositories and specific COVID-19 databases (grey literature). Quantitative data will be analysed using descriptive statistics, while thematic analysis will be performed for qualitative data. Preliminary findings will be presented to stakeholders to identify missing studies and develop effective dissemination strategies.Ethics and disseminationResults will be disseminated through publication in an open access scientific journal, scientific events, and academic and community newspapers. Ethical approval was obtained due to stakeholder consultation, but will not involve the direct participation of patients. Link to the protocol record in the Open Science Framework (OSF) (osf.io/q94en).


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. e100117
Author(s):  
Jac Williams ◽  
David W Bates ◽  
Aziz Sheikh

IntroductionElectronic prescribing (ePrescribing) systems can improve the quality of prescribing decisions and substantially reduce the risk of serious medication errors in hospitals. However, realising these benefits depends on ensuring that relevant sociotechnical considerations are addressed. Optimising ePrescribing systems is essential to maximise the associated benefits and minimise the accompanying risks of these large-scale and expensive health informatics infrastructures.MethodsWe will undertake a systematic scoping review of the literature to identify strategies to achieve optimisation of ePrescribing systems. We will search Medline, Embase and CINAHL for the period 1 January 2010 to 1 June 2019 and the grey literature by using Google Scholar. Independent reviewers will screen the results using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria and will extract data for narrative and thematic synthesis.DiscussionThis work will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and we will ensure that the findings are both accessible and interpretable to the public, academics, policymakers and National Health Service leaders.


Author(s):  
Daniele Costa ◽  
J. C. Guedes ◽  
J. Santos Baptista

Thermal comfort affects satisfaction in the workplace, which impacts work efficiency and productivity. Since office workers spend most of their working hours performing sedentary tasks, a scoping review is proposed to contextualize how thermal sensation and thermal comfort are experimentally assessed in the scientific literature. This work presents the scoping review protocol for the scoping review. It follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for systematic review protocols (PRISMA-P). The scoping review will be elaborated based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR). The scoping review will consider peer-reviewed articles written in English, published or in-press. Grey literature and conference papers will be excluded. Only studies performing the experimental assessment of thermal sensation and thermal comfort of human subjects engaged in sedentary activities within homogeneous environments will be considered suitable for the scoping review. Studies will be retrieved from the Journal Storage (JSTOR), PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. The search strategy will consist of the use of the expression ("thermal comfort" OR "therm* sensation" OR "thermosensation") AND ("sedentary" or "office work*" or "office task*"). After removing duplicates, the remaining studies will have their title, abstract, and keywords screened. Studies meeting the eligibility criteria will be selected for full-text screening. Data items will be summarized using summary tables, and their reporting will consider the PRISMA-ScR checklist. The scoping review aims to summarize the existing scientific evidence and identify research needs to experimentally assess the thermal sensation and the thermal comfort of subjects performing sedentary tasks.


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